According to a report, placed in figurative purgatory due to a bureaucratic process, the graves of 15 of the Canadian thoroughbred industry's most well-bred and respected horses lay amongst weeds, as the former grounds of Windfields Farm currently lay in a saddening state of disarray
.
An article by the Toronto Star has explained how at least a small commemorative piece of the world-renowned breeding nursery, which closed in 2009, was supposed to be preserved to honour the legacy of the operation and the champion runners it produced.
When the Oshawa, Ont. farm was closed, the land was transferred to the control of developers and Durham College. The latter is in the process of transferring its part of the land to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, but until the transfer is complete, the land which serves as the final resting spot of some of the nation's greats is left to sit.
The report cites Jefferson Mappin, the grandson of Windfields' founder, E.P. Taylor, as saying that a planned memorial for the area is 'years off.' The piece has also quoted UOIT Director of Communications and Marketing Lisa Banks as saying, “I can’t say definitively what will happen or when.”
The area has also reportedly been the target of vandalism and desecration as the deteriorating facilities are at the mercy of Mother Nature and wrongdoers.
(With files from the Toronto Star)
I used to visit the farm
I used to visit the farm every two weeks and was always impressed with how lovely the place looked. This is absolutely disgusting the way it has been neglected. Could we contact a local tv station to get involved?
Hey everyone - I posted
Hey everyone - I posted about a week back but for some reason my post was never approved for viewing.
I'm Mark Morissette - one of the people that was interviewed for the Toronto Star article. It was via my blog (www.oshawapilot.ca) where I had actually started a bit of a one-person mission back in the spring to bring attention to the plight of Windfields. I wrote quite a few blog articles on it and did a lot of legwork trying to get the attention of the media at the time.
I did manage to get some media coverage from the local newspaper (Detailed on my blog) several months ago, but the local paper didn't have the media clout of the Toronto Star, so it didn't ruffle many feathers at the time. The college/university continued with their "yeah yeah, we'll get to it eventually" attitude.
We were actually traveling in the USA when I was contacted via my blog by the Star for the article and I was overjoyed to have finally got the attention of a *major* newspaper. I was able to make phone contact with Carola at the Toronto Star by phone while in New York City and spoke at depth for about an hour on the situation.
And wow, the results were astounding!
Sadly my internet connectivity was very limited while were on the road so I wasn't able to leverage the flurry of attention this garnered to the fullest extent I had hoped I could, but none the less what was achieved thanks to the news coverage that the Toronto Star article created, as well as with the help and attention of the members here was nothing short of amazing! To finally have the University step up and recognize their failings (and take action!) was a major win for us all.
However, we MUST keep the pressure on. The university needs to step up and begin to preserve the property NOW - not years down the road when there may be little left worth preserving. The outbuildings that are part of the core should be part of any memorial or historical park that is built, but preserving these buildings NOW will be essential. Many are already in an advanced state of deterioration and as time marches on they will begin to fall prey to mother nature.
It is my goal to continue to push this matter, both via my blog, but with the assistance of the media and websites such as Standardbred Canada.
My next goal is to approach the City of Oshawa to inquire about the grounds receiving official historical designation. I believe, done right, this can be achieved, and it would by law secure the future of what remains of Windfields.
I would like to speak to those who spearheaded this movement in my absence - specifically those living in the Oshawa area still - please contact me via my blog, or directly at oshawapilot at gmail dot com. Collectively, we can work wonders, but we need to take advantage of this movement and keep the pressure on.
Thanks everyone!
Mark
Max Glad to see that action
Max
Glad to see that action was taken and a plan set in place to continue maintenance. Sometimes the public speak and someone listens..
Well this is good news...I
Well this is good news...I would like to see the memorial not too far "down the road" but I am pleased that action was taken to clean things up a bit. This story has saddened me and as others have stated, EP Taylor is a legend and deserves better. His family should be ashamed of themselves for the neglect of this beautiful farm and the graves of those wonderful horses ...
What we have here is a
What we have here is a significant disrespect for history...a disrespect for a time when Northern Dancer united the country and the millions of Canadians who remember the events with pride. Shame on the incompetant, bureaucrat college leadership who can't figure out who or how to get it done..shame on the greed and insensitivity of the land developers who failed to live up to their promises .. and shame on the family of E.P.Taylor for failing to insist that the legacy be respected now, not years from now.
Visit the historic Goshen racetrack..visit the Horse Park in Lexington, visit Yankee Stadium (even the new one)or Fenway Park and what you will feel a real sense of pride for their respective games,the pasts and what took place there.
Where is the "Jockey Club" (Woodbine Entertainment)in this? This is, I am afraid, another sorry example of the horse racing industry embarrassing itself. So sad, so shameful, so disappointing.
John and Catherine Morritt, Standardbred and Thoroughbred Owners
If anyone is interested, I
If anyone is interested, I am willing to supply any markers at cost price to the new owners at Windfields. That goes for any additional material needed to complete the memorial. Also, labour can be taken at cost price.
I will be going up this week to take some pictures to see the "improvement."
My motto would be the same as older trainers---"Hope for the best, expect the worst."
As a former employee of
As a former employee of Windfields Farm, I am disgusted by the state of the burial sites from what I am reading. I am willing to go out there myself with a lawnmower and weedwacker and clean it up. I worked in the mares in foal barn and loved it compeltely. I visited the burial sites often. How can the city leave it in this shape and do nothing? How can the University or Durham college not want to maintain a special site?
In reply to As a former employee of by FMNelly
As I posted in an earlier
As I posted in an earlier reply the matter has been adressed and is being taken care of, thanks to Lisa Banks of UOIT who deserves some credit here as she was unlikely aware of what was going on and has immediately taken the appropriate measures to maintain the site as it should be. It would be my hope that somebody could speed up the process of making this a Memorial as it could be done a lot more faster if the people involved in building the Memorial were notified of the situation. Why could the Memorial not be built before the land changes hands? Would it not be a simple matter of the buyers contacting the sellers to get it done now?
I also find it appalling that the family of EP Taylor would sit and allow this to take place. They are the ones accountable for this happening and EP would be rolling in his grave if he knew what was going on and that my friends is sad, very sad.
Gary Blackburn
Very Sad state of affairs,
Very Sad state of affairs, wonder if EP's grandchildren let his beautiful estate at Langford Cay in the beautiful Bahamas go the rats like they let happen at Windfields Farm? They are most likely to be trying to conserve capital, in these unstable econominic times!! Canadian racing owes a great debt to EP and Woodbine should step up to the plate and try and save the farm, or at least a portion of it as a memorial to EP.
As an aside I was also standing outside the paddock that day Frankie Merril uttered those words "we win it" before Square Angel pulled that upset one one of the greatest fillies ever to come out of Canada. Gee I was just a kid at the time this Dawson guy has to be one of the real oldtime racetrackers. God bless you sir.
I live 2 blocks from
I live 2 blocks from Windfields and last weekend, after seeing the article in the Star, I went up and hopped the fence to see what gives.
There is no damage to the markers themselves. Just the weeds and grass is everywhere.
The markers are good and not cracked, although vandals have been there in the past.
Being in the monument business, you can imagine my pleasure when I was given one of the Dancer's shoes (racing aluminum) to attach to the grave marker of his caretaker at the Farm.
Also, Sandy Hawley lives right across the highway of Windfields, and it is there at Windfields that he learned how to ride. His uncle Wib hoisted him up on the back of a horse, and the horse ran off with him.
Another tie is that SQUARE ANGEL was out at Woodbine one day for trainer Frank H. Merrill.
I asked Frank if he was going for second money (against the unbeaten LA PREVOYANTE), and he replied "No, we win it."
The Angel paid $8.00 and change to win, and years later she was living at Windfields in her stall. I saw the name plate on the stable door. If she wasn't a horse, I would have married her.My wife was there, so I had to take it easy.
In reply to I live 2 blocks from by flipper
Just an update on
Just an update on Windfields.I read in todays Toronto Star that the site has been cleaned up.The O U I T stated that every two weeks they will be cleaning it up.Maybe Phil you can keep us updated on their word if not lets get together and fight this.
Sad & Lack of
Sad & Lack of Respect...
This is so sad and a lack of respect towards the horses buried here. These horses deserve more respect because they did earn it in life and should be remembered for years to come. They earned a decent place to rest and not be forgotten. This is our Canadian history in the horse world that is being neglected. It is a disgrace that they are treated this way. It is true that you can judge the human race by the way they treat their animals - in life or death. It doesn't matter whether they are thoroughbreds, standardbreds or the family pet - just try to remember what they did for you in life, the joy they brought when they won a race or simply entertained your child with hours of love and companionship - Be Kind - Respect - Treat them with Dignity - they deserve it.
well that's good news...i'm
well that's good news...i'm not going to let this one go until this is taken care of. I plan on keeping an eye on this situation...updates from Standardbredcanada would be appreciated. I wonder when they will get to cleaning it up as Miss Banks said she couldn't "definitively" say what will happen and when..Thanks for your efforts Gary
Here is a response that I
Here is a response that I received from Lisa Banks after emailing her. They will be looking after the site and maintaining it.
Good afternoon,
I appreciate the concern you’ve raised and that you took the time to write. Though the land has not yet transferred to the university, out of respect for it and the horses buried there, our facilities department has confirmed that they will clean and maintain the area containing the gravesites.
Best regards,
Lisa Banks
Gary Blackburn
At the National Stud in
At the National Stud in Newmarket, England, Northern Dancer is revered for his athletic prowess and the amazing mark he made in the breeding shed. I witnessed this admiration when I visited last summer and was proud to know that he is still talked about in terms of greatness. Wouldn't they and anyone who reads about this disgraceful situation at Windfields be disgusted with the way that this property and the graves of these great horses that gave so much of themselves to the racing industry have been neglected. I recently read about this happening to the burial site of the great Dan Patch but to a degree where the actual site cannot be found. Hopefully, these graves will be given the attention that they deserve so that they are not lost completely.
How very sad that the graves
How very sad that the graves of some of our greatest thoroughbreds are in such a mess. How difficult is it really to move a few freakin' weeds. How is it that a college & developers can't get their act together & show some respect.
Absolutely disgusting!!!!
Marie Stoyles-Moura
Karen McDonald How could the
Karen McDonald
How could the thoroughbred industry let this happen.....Northern Dancer was a such great influence, there should be a shrine, not all those weeds.
Sad.
A few horsemen should go out
A few horsemen should go out with a push mower and weedwhacker and clean it up. It would not take that long and it would be good publicity for horse racing in general.
There are no words on how
There are no words on how discusting this is. I have sent emails to every thoroughbred organization in Canada, as well as the person at UOIT. Soemthing has to be done immediately about this. This is a total disgrace.
I have copied what I sent her.
Lisa
I have just read an article regarding the gravesites of some of the greatest thoroughbreds in history sit at Windfield Farms with weeds growing over them and it sickens me to no end.
Did you know that Northern Dancer, who is buried there, is the greatest thoroughbred that ever lived and a national treasure to Canada as well as being known internationally around the world, as the greatest sire ever? His foals brought millions and his offsprings lineage continues today to be the greatest influential breeding in the thoroughbred industry. He is the Wayne Gretzky of thoroughbreds.
If you do not know who this horse is, have a look here www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Dancer
I ask of you only one thing, please arrange for someone to preserve the gravesites of this great horse and the others buried there by keeping the area respectful and clean until a Memorial is built. If this is not possible for you to arrange, then I would volunteer to come and do it myself.
Gary Blackburn
This is absolutely
This is absolutely unacceptable - As Gandhi quoted, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated".
It is a disgrace the way
It is a disgrace the way that a piece of land, so symbolic of Canadian history, has become like a vacant lot. The great horses that are buried there deserve more from all those who profited in any way from their achievements. They have been forgotten by the children of a great man who I am sure as he looks down from heaven would be disgusted with the state of what was once a majestic farm and E.P. Taylor`s showplace of champions.
Why would this be allowed to
Why would this be allowed to happen?????The city of Oshawa, UOIT,developers, whomever is to blame,,,, it is a disgrace...Why didnt the family of Windfield farms not have a memorial put in place before it was sold??? Alot of people have dropped the ball bigtime...SAD
This is disgraceful..can't
This is disgraceful..can't someone from the college get out there with a weed-wacker for heavens sake? There's no excuse for this dis-respect...i am saddened by this.